Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

NEW HOPE
New Hope, Pennsylvania, the popular riverside artist colony recently named as one of the “Top 25 Art Destinations in the Country” by American Style Magazine, offers eclectic charm comfortably offset by casual sophistication. Peppered with bed & breakfasts, galleries, historical attractions, restaurants and nightlife along Main Street and beyond, New Hope is as enchanting now to the diverse crowds that peruse its streets—from bikers to the GLBT crowd—as it was to so many eminent figures of yesterday. Here are some of the many ways to spend a day or a weekend in town:

Things To Do:

• New

WEST CHESTER
Chester County’s seat of government is a tree-lined and welcoming city where a stately historic courthouse dominates the skyline; West Chester University students populate the shops, bars and noodle houses; and the popularity of the skateboarding culture (plus the presence of hometown celebrity prankster Bam Margera) draws enthusiasts from all over the country. Here are a few suggestions for spending time in West Chester:

Things To Do:

• Chester County Historical Society – An award-winning History Center, workshops and walking tours tell the American story from a local perspective, and the Cultural Center houses a performing arts venue

MEDIA
Self-designated as the first fair trade town in the country, Media is also the last suburban town in the nation to run a trolley through its downtown. Residents call Media “Everybody’s Hometown” because the town’s friendliness welcomes all visitors. Brick sidewalks and tree-shaded streets encourage walking to the centrally located shopping district. Here are some suggestions for a trip to the town:

Things To Do:

• The Media Theatre – Housed in an old vaudeville theater, The Media Theatre stages a full season of mainstream Broadway musicals, children’s programming and more. 104 E. State Street, (610) 891-0100, mediatheatre.org
• Pennsylvania

AMBLER
Residents describe Ambler as a town where even visitors feel a sense of place. It’s a “real town” where locals and out-of-towners join together to enjoy professional theater and independent film, to admire art displayed in the storefront of a refurbished Art Deco building and to partake in a movie and progressive dinner through three restaurants the first Thursday of each month. A look at how to spend a day or a weekend in Ambler:

Things To Do:

• Act II Playhouse – For more than a decade, the Act II Playhouse has put on award-winning shows in its

Philadelphia is committed to the environment, as evidenced by Mayor Michael Nutter’s appointment of a director of sustainability in 2008. The position develops, implements and oversees the city’s environmental policies and initiatives to deliver the mayor’s promise to make Philadelphia the greenest city in America. The new position is just one of the latest efforts that shows the city’s commitment to reducing the region’s environmental impact.

In another pioneering venture for the city, the Greater Philadelphia Film Office (GPFO) will launch the second year of its initiative to encourage more eco-friendly practices during film production. The 2009 theme, Greener S.E.T.S.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing (GPTMC) today announced the launch of the With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ Dining Guide, the newest component of the popular tourism campaign that gives hotel guests a pass to exclusive prix-fixe menus around the city. Now through December 30, 2009, visitors who book their stays on gophila.com/withlove receive upon hotel check-in a guide to the 26 restaurants offering three- and four-course meals for $20, $30 and $35 per person. Participants include some of the area’s best eateries, such as Audrey Claire, Lacroix at The Rittenhouse, Le Bec-Fin’s Le Bar Lyonnais, Positano Coast, The Prime Rib and

Just in time for tons of fun events, exhibitions and holiday happenings this fall and winter, Philadelphia’s hotel industry is turning it up a notch with two stylish new hotels and hotel packages for travelers of all interests. A Starwood and a Kimpton add to the region’s modern and diverse hotel scene, and with valuable offers like the Play & Stay Hotel Package, the Diana: A Celebration Hotel Package and 80 others on gophila.com/withlove, there’s a great deal for every discerning hotel guest. Here are some current and upcoming hotel highlights:

Openings:

• Kimpton made its Philadelphia debut on

• The second largest city on the East Coast, Philadelphia is the sixth largest city in the United States, with a population of 1.4 million in Philadelphia and 3.9 million people residing in the five-county region.
• Thanks to founder William Penn, Philadelphia’s Center City follows an easy-to-navigate grid street design. The best ways to get around Center City are by foot, taxi or public transportation. The city’s lush and historic countryside is home to many areas of interest, including Valley Forge National Historical Park, Longwood Gardens, the Brandywine River Museum, the King of Prussia Mall, Chaddsford Winery and more. The farthest

Gay and lesbian travelers looking to extend their summer fun into autumn need look no further than Philadelphia in 2009 and beyond. With a handful of new restaurants, bars, clubs, events and hotels to complement Philadelphia’s cherished and historical gay-friendly heritage, Philadelphia is the place to Get Your History Straight And Your Nightlife Gay®.

Make It A Weekend—Or More:
One of the nation’s leading gay-friendly hotel chains, Kimpton makes its Philadelphia debut on October 15 with the Hotel Palomar Philadelphia, a 24-story property housed in the 80-year-old American Institute of Architects building. Themed “Art in Motion,” the Art Deco

Pet lovers are crazy about their animal companions and spend more than $40 billion a year in the U.S. on pet services and accoutrements to prove it. For those who love to spoil their pet but hate to leave him behind while traveling, the Philadelphia region proves to be the “purr-fect” getaway. Pet-friendly hotels, restaurants and retail shops welcome visitors and their animal companions in all sections of the city and its suburbs. From canine-friendly parks to Very Important Pet (VIP) hotel programs, the Philadelphia region makes it easy for visitors to bring their furry friends along for the ride.

Families heading to the nation’s birthplace this summer will have plenty of time to explore the city thanks to the new Historic Philadelphia Hotel Package, offering a great hotel rate, free parking and tickets to various attractions, at five area hotels. Here are the details:

PACKAGE AVAILABILITY DATES: Available any day of the week through September 7, 2009

HOTEL PACKAGE ELEMENTS:

• Two-night accommodations
• Free hotel parking for both nights
• Two tickets to the Betsy Ross House
• Two tickets to the Lights of Liberty Show
• Two tickets for Philly-themed miniature golf in Franklin Square
• 50% discount on two tickets to 1776:

Those interested in indulging in a few days of luxury and pampering should consider Philadelphia, where living the high life—even if it’s just an escape from today’s penny-pinching practices—is easier to obtain and more affordable than ever. A host of bargains, from prix-fixe dinners at elegant restaurants to overnight stays in five-star hotels to shopping deals at designer consignment boutiques, means visitors can save and still see the city and surrounding countryside in style. Below are just a few suggestions for a first-class visit to Philly:

High-Value Eats:

• The high-end lunches at Philadelphia’s premiere French fine-dining restaurant Le Bec-Fin

As part of the new With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ campaign, visitors who book one of the 80 featured packages on gophila.com/withlove will receive a special gift at check-in. The giveaway includes a Philadelphia Privileges coupon book, a Dining Guide that gives hotel guests a pass to exclusive prix-fixe menus around the city, a five-pack of With Love postcards and a With Love pin, along with other brochures, coupons and maps. Soon, it will also include the Official Philly Brag Book, featuring 200 reasons to love the Philadelphia region. And with starting rates ranging from $77 to $415 per night, gophila.com/withlove

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) gophila.com and Travelocity are celebrating a two-year partnership that has generated more than 17,000 reservations, 28,600 room nights and $5.5 million in room revenue. The third year of the partnership marks the debut of a new look and new technology that makes the booking engine on the region’s official tourism Web site even more user friendly with easier-to-view hotel results; more photos, videos and interactive maps; and fewer clicks for hotel reservation completion.

What’s more, the partnership with Travelocity enables GPTMC to have more than 20 booking tools strategically placed throughout gophila.com,

Historical Sites And Attractions:

• Wannabe sailors can spend the night in the nation’s most decorated battleship, the Battleship New Jersey, and take tours of the officers’ and crew’s mess halls, communications center and high-tech command center. 62 Battleship Place, Camden, (856) 877-6262, battleshipnewjersey.org
• The nation’s most famous seamstress, credited with the creation of the first American flag, stitched her way into history in the small workroom on display at the Betsy Ross House. Throughout the summer, Betsy strolls the courtyard to meet and greet visitors. 239 Arch Street, (215) 686-1252, betsyrosshouse.org
• Penny-pinchers and spendthrifts alike cash in on the

This week the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) kicked off its “Philly Guest of the Day” promotion, a brand-new element of the 10-week, recession-inspired Love campaign. Over the next five weeks, 100 travelers who redeem a Philly Overnight® Hotel Package before March 16, 2009 will be named “Philly Guest of the Day.” These randomly chosen visitors will receive top-notch prizes, including Southwest Airlines tickets and gift certificates for attractions, restaurants and shops like Tiffany & Co., Le Bec-Fin, Positano Coast, The Wilma Theater and others. Additionally, the guests will receive a hotel gift, such as a room upgrade or

Visitors to Philadelphia and The Countryside® can pick from dozens of special hotel packages on gophila.com, but the Philly Overnight® Hotel Package remains a fan favorite. Available year round at more than 30 hotels in the city and region, the offer comes with free hotel parking and a brand-new incentive for travelers. As part of the Love tourism campaign, 100 lucky hotel package buyers who redeem their stay before March 16, 2009 will be randomly named “Philly Guest of the Day” and receive any number of prizes at check-in. Here are the package details:

PACKAGE AVAILABILTY DATES: Check in

Philadelphia is the place for families and adults to be in October, thanks to Halloween happenings taking place throughout the region that culminate with an appearance by American icon Elvira “Mistress of the Dark” on October 31, 2008. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is helping the region reap the benefits of this increasingly popular holiday—one in which consumers are expected to spend an estimated $5.7 billion according to the National Retail Federation—with a promotional blitz that includes special events, advertising, public relations, a microsite at gophila.com/halloween, social media components, hotel packages and partnerships with FOX 29 and

Journalists are taking notice of Philadelphia as a hot urban destination, as evidenced by the many accolades bestowed on the city in September and October 2008. Here’s a look at what some national magazines and a Web site had to say:

• Business Facilities chose Philadelphia as one of seven destinations for its “Editors’ Location Picks 2008” list featured in the September issue of the publication. Editors were particularly impressed that the region “has a ‘CEO Council for Growth’ that was so determined to create a high-powered entity to market the region it raised $16 million four years ago to establish

Bed and breakfasts have been popular in the towns of the Philadelphia countryside since George Washington first trekked to Valley Forge. With more than 100 area B&Bs from which to choose, all conveniently located close to top area attractions, restaurants and nightlife, the region’s tradition of personalized hospitality offers a world of options.

Bucks County:

• Doylestown Inn – Just steps from quaint downtown Doylestown, this elegant inn has welcomed local celebs, including Pearl S. Buck and Oscar Hammerstein. Free off-site continental breakfast, high-speed Internet and concierge service are among the amenities. Ask about the fireplace suites. 18 W. State